Smile
by Deathberry15
Summary: Umm, title means... well, you'll find out. Sort of sequel to Coming Undone. Short and sweet. Rated T because I have a compulsive need to be very careful. Umm, yeah, that's about it. Hope you enjoy!


Just a little Valentine's Day treat. Well, no, not really. This is actually something I've been mulling over for months now (since I finished Coming Undone, to tell the truth). I just happened to decide to post it now, big coincidence. I don't often celebrate Valentine's Day, to me it's just an excuse to eat chocolate guilt-free and force my boyfriend to sit through a chick flick with me. But it's something at least to get us through the day, because I am, after all, a hopeful romantic, mighty proud of it, thank you very much. So… enjoy. And happy Valentine's Day!

**Author's note:** Oh yeah, the title… well… the title was just the name of that oh-so-sticky song that has been stuck in my head for like a week now, that started playing while I was trying (unsuccessfully) to find a good title for this. The song doesn't actually have anything to do with this story, either. But what more can I do, I'm stuck with it.

Lily Allen, by the way. That's the name of the artist. I like her, she's quite good. But I seriously need a break from that song.

**Music:** "Breathe in" by Frou Frou, "Elevator love letter" by Stars, and (obviously) "Smile" by Lily Allen.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own them, Kubo-san does. I'm just borrowing them for fun. I promise to give them back in one piece.

---

**Smile – by Deathberry15**

Rukia never thought she'd be back in the living world, passing as a mortal high school student. But due to recent events, she and the other shinigami were forced to remain in the living world until the situation was under control, not to mention until things cooled down in the Seireitei. (And considering Hitsugaya's special exploration mission squad had been so insurrect as to have stayed behind to rescue a certain hairpin-wearing girl from Aizen's clutches, by sending a rebellious substitute shinigami and a bunch of fugitives from Soul Society's laws and reckonings –a.k.a the Vizards— into Hueco Mundo, thus eliciting some frowns from the higher ups, even when everything went well and nobody was killed –for real— and no official shinigami has set foot in Hueco Mundo so technically, _technically_ they were not disobeying Yamamoto's orders, they were getting off rather easily). It was a minor punishment for a minor rebelling. So they were stuck in the living world. And on top of that, they had to work.

And on top of _that_, they had to continue pretending to go to school.

If anything, Rukia hadn't expected to have to really go back to school. She could just do like her comrades, wear a gigai and walk around in a uniform and evade class. But the following Monday, she found herself obligingly waking up at Yuzu's beckoning, showering and dressing in the school outfit, having breakfast with the family and leaving to school, wearing the same tired look Ichigo had. Tedious as it was, she had to admit it brought her a sort of comfort, being human again, following this routine, because it felt like things were going back to normal, and she didn't have to worry anymore.

"Hime! You're back! I was so worried! You missed half of last week! Did you get sick again or something?"

Rukia looked up to see Orihime walking into the classroom, accompanied by Tatsuki. It was good to see them both, chattering happily again, as if nothing had happened the previous week. Chizuru followed them as they approached Rukia and sat on the next row.

"No, I was away," Orihime replied.

"Away _where_? Why didn't you tell me you were going on a trip? I didn't get to kiss you goodbye!" Chizuru said, earning herself a thump on the head from Tatsuki.

"Well, it was a surprise trip. I didn't really want to go, but I had no choice."

Rukia wondered briefly why Orihime was always so honest.

"Why didn't you have a choice? Where did you go?" Chizuru asked.

"It was a dark place, and it smelled weird, and I spent most of the days in a sort of trance," Orihime said. Then she shrugged. "At least I didn't stay so long."

Chizuru blinked in confusion. Tatsuki and Rukia looked at one another in worry.

"Er, she means her aunt's house. She doesn't like going there because she gets bored," Tatsuki covered up nervously. Rukia thought Tatsuki was way better at making up new memories than the memory chikane would ever be.

Orihime was going to say something, when Chizuru suddenly hugged her. "Oh, why did you have to go? If you don't like it there, then you shouldn't go. Next time you should just stay here and we can do something together. I can think of a lot of fun, creative things we can do alone together—"

"Oi!" someone exclaimed, making Chizuru let go of Orihime before Tatsuki could beat her up.

Rukia looked up again and saw Ichigo, standing behind Chizuru, giving the bespectacled girl a very dirty look.

"Oh, it's you," Chizuru said disdainfully when she saw him. Orihime suddenly turned very red.

"Chizuru, everyone here would very much appreciate if you would stop being so hair-raising scary," Ichigo said, equally disdainful. Tatsuki and Rukia suddenly fell very silent. It's like they were waiting for something to happen. Which, truth be told, they were.

"Good m-morning… Ichigo," Orihime mumbled. Her lips were suddenly numb. Ichigo's face softened. Chizuru and everyone nearby stared in confusion. Had she just called him by his first name?

"Good morning… Orihime," Ichigo said, trying to sound less embarrassed and self-conscious than he really felt, considering the sudden attention they were drawing. But seeing Rukia's and Tatsuki's expectant looks, he knew he had to do something. Throwing another dirty look at Chizuru, he pushed past her and stood beside Orihime, and kissed her on the cheek. If possible, Orihime turned even a brighter shade of red, and there was little he could do from stopping his own face from flushing. But she smiled, and Ichigo smiled, and a few people's jaws dropped, and it was fun to see Chizuru's eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets. With and air of smugness, he brushed past her again and walked to his seat and tried to ignore the fact that she was now trembling with rage and looking ready to murder him.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "Oh let it go, Chizuru. You knew it was coming to it eventually," she said. _And you didn't stand a chance, anyway, you lesbian lunatic._ Lucky for them, Ochi-sensei entered the classroom just then. If Chizuru wanted to make a scene, she'd have to wait.

Tatsuki and Rukia looked at one another again and smiled knowingly. It was all they could do to keep from laughing out loud. Rukia shook her head, thinking that maybe not; maybe they hadn't seen it coming. Not like this, at least. Her grin widened when she caught Orihime and Ichigo exchanging furtive glances, still blushing and trying to hide their smiles. Who knew Ichigo could be so corny? But that was probably Orihime's influence. It was a side of him she wasn't used to seeing. But it wasn't all that bad. It was a good kind of corny. She could tolerate it.

After the tumultuous events of last week, things weren't exactly back to normal. But normal wasn't her sort of thing anymore. That would be too boring.

---

Hmm, that was pointless and uncalled for. Oh well…

It actually started out as the first chapter of yet another fun-loving story featuring my favorite couple. It _might_ still be the first chapter of a new story, but I make no promises. We'll see how it goes.

(And trust me; I'll change the title eventually.)

Ok, I've got to leave for work. Thank you for reading! Have a nice one!

**-Nariko the Seer a.k.a Deathberry15**


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